A source-code-hosting facility (also known as forge software) is a file archive and web hosting facility for source code of software, documentation, web pages, and other works, accessible either publicly or privately. They are often used by open-source software projects and other multi-developer projects to maintain revision and version history, or version control. Many repositories provide a bug tracking system, and offer release management, mailing lists, and wiki-based project documentation. Software authors generally retain their copyright when software is posted to a code hosting facilities.

General information

NameDeveloperInitial releaseFree server?Free client?Associated collaborative development environmentNotes
AssemblaAssembla, Inc.2005NoUnknownUnknown
Azure DevOps ServerMicrosoft2012NoNoAzure DevOps Services Microsoft Visual StudioMost features are free for open source projects or teams of 5 members or less
BitbucketAtlassian2008NoNoAtlassian Server, andDenies service to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria
CloudForgeCollabNet2012NoUnknownUnknown
CodebergCodeberg e.V.2019YesYesForgejoCodeberg e.V. is a non-profit which operates a public Forgejo-based software forge and bug tracker, and related services such as Codeberg Pages, a Weblate translation server, and CI/CD features via Woodpecker CI.
GiteaCommitGo, Inc.2016-12YesYesGiteaGitea is an open-source software tool funded on Open Collective that is designed for self-hosting, but also provides a free first-party instance.
GiteeOSChina (CN)2013Gitee is a proprietary online forge.
GForgeThe GForge Group, Inc.2006PartialYesCloud version – free up to 5 users. On-premises version – free up to 5 users.GForge is free for open source projects.
GitHubGitHub, Inc. (A subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation)2008-04NoYesUnknownDenies service to Crimea, North Korea, Sudan, Syria
GitLabGitLab Inc.2011-09PartialYesGitLab FOSS – free software GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) – proprietaryDenies service to Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria
GNU SavannahFree Software Foundation2001-01YesYesSavaneFor use by projects with GPL compatible licenses, subject to staff approval. Code access review.
Helix TeamHubPerforce Software1995NoNoCloud version – free up to 5 users. On-premises version requires a license.Free cloud version has no limits on projects within 5gb storage limit. On-premises version has DevOps pipeline technology and free replicas.
LaunchpadCanonical2004YesNoLaunchpadSupports Bazaar and Git for version-controlled repository hosting.
OSDNOSDN K.K.2002–04UnknownYesUnknownFor open-source projects only. Ad-supported. Defunct as of April 9, 2025.
Ourproject.orgComunes Collective2002YesYesFusionForgeFor free software, free culture and free content projects.
OW2OW22008NoNoGitLabOriented on middleware technology.
PhabricatorPhacility, Inc.2010YesYesPhabricatorEnd of life.
SEULUnknown1997-05UnknownNoUnknown
SourceForgeSlashdot Media1999-11YesYesApache AlluraFor use by open-source projects. Ad-supported. Subject to American export restrictions, so denies service to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.
NameManagerEstablishedServer side: all free softwareClient side: all-free JS codeDeveloped or used CDENotes

Features

NameCode reviewBug trackingWeb hostingWikiTranslation systemShell serverMailing listForumPersonal repositoryPrivate repositoryAnnounceBuild systemTeamRelease binariesSelf-hosting
AssemblaYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesUnknownNo
Azure DevOps ServerYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesCommercially (Azure DevOps Server)
BitbucketYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesNoYesYesNoCommercially (Bitbucket Server formerly Stash)
BuddyYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
CloudForgeUnknownYesYesYesNoNoNoNoUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownNo
CodebergYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesUnknownYesYesYesYes (Forgejo)
GForgeYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
GiteaYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNoYesYesUnknownYesYesYesYes
GitHubYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesCommercially (GitHub Enterprise)
GitLabYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
GNU SavannahYesYesYesNoNoYesYesNoNoNoYesNoYesUnknownYes
Helix TeamHubYesYesNoYesNoNoYesYesYesYesNoYes, with hooks. Jenkins, TeamCity, etc.NoYesYes
KallitheaYesNoYesNoNoUnknownNoNoYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
LaunchpadYesYesNoNoYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesUnknownYes
OSDNYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoYesNoYesYesNo
Ourproject.orgUnknownYesYesYesNoUnknownYesYesUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownYes
PhabricatorYesYesYesYesUnknownYesUnknownYesUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownYes
RhodeCodeYesNoYesNoNoUnknownNoNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
SourceForgeYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
NameCode reviewBug trackingWeb hostingWikiTranslation systemShell serverMailing listForumPersonal repositoryPrivate repositoryAnnounceBuild systemTeamRelease binariesSelf-hosting

Version control systems

NameCVSGitHgSVNBZRTFVCPerforceFossil
AssemblaNoYesNoYesNoNoYesNo
Azure DevOps ServerNoYesNoNoNoYesNoNo
BitbucketNoYesUntil Feb 2020NoNoNoNoNo
BuddyNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
CodebergNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
GForgeYesYesNoYesNoNoNoNo
GiteaNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
GitHubNoYesNoPartial, until Jan 2024NoNoNoNo
GitLabNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
GNU SavannahYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNo
KallitheaNoYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
LaunchpadImport onlyYesImport onlyImport onlyYesNoNoUnknown
Ourproject.orgYesNoNoYesNoNoUnknownUnknown
OW2DroppedYesNoDroppedNoNoNoNo
Perforce TeamHubNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNo
PhabricatorNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNo
RhodeCodeNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNo
SEUL.orgYesNoNoYesNoNoUnknownUnknown
SourceForgeDroppedYesYesYesDroppedNoUnknownNo
NameCVSGitHgSVNBZRTFVCPerforceFossil

Popularity

NameUsersProjects
AssemblaUnknown526,581+
Bitbucket5,000,000Unknown
BuddyUnknownUnknown
CloudForgeUnknownUnknown
Codeberg110,000138,000
GiteaUnknownUnknown
GitHub94,000,000330,000,000
GitLab31,190,000546,000
GNU Savannah93,3463,848
Launchpad3,965,28840,881
OSDN54,8266,294
Ourproject.org6,3531,846
OW2UnknownUnknown
SEULUnknownUnknown
SourceForge3,700,000500,000
NameUsersProjects

Discontinued: CodePlex, Gna!, Google Code.

Specialized hosting facilities

The following are open-source software hosting facilities that only serve a specific narrowly focused community or technology.

NameAd-freeCVSGitSVNArchNotes
DrupalYesNoYesNoNoOnly for Drupal related projects.
freedesktop.orgYesNoYesNoNoOnly for interoperability and shared base technology for free software desktop environments on Linux and other Unix-like operating systems, including the X Window System (X11) and cairo (graphics).
mozdev.orgYesYesUnknownNoNoOnly for Mozilla-related projects. Defunct as of July 2020.
NameAd-freeCVSGitSVNArchNotes

Former hosting facilities

  • Alioth (Debian) – In 2018, Alioth has been replaced by a GitLab based solution hosted on . Alioth has been finally switched off in June 2018.
  • BerliOS – abandoned in April 2014
  • Betavine – abandoned somewhere in 2015.
  • CodeHaus – shut down in May 2015
  • CodePlex – shut down in December 2017.
  • Fedora Hosted – closed in March 2017
  • Gitorious – shut down in June 2015.
  • Gna! – shut down in 2017.
  • Google Code – closed in January 2016, all projects archived. See .
  • java.net – Java.net and kenai.com hosting closed April 2017.
  • OSDN - shut down in April 2025.
  • Phabricator – wound down operations 1 June 2021, all projects continued to be hosted with very limited support after 31 August 2021.
  • Tigris.org – shut down in July 2020.
  • Mozdev.org - shut down in July 2020.

See also

Notes

External links